I escaped once from a monster. 

And now he stalks me through the land.

I run. 

But I cannot hide. 

Against this evil, even my dark elf captors pale. 

I hope that maybe they can save me. 

I beg them to take from me anything. 

My life. My heart. My soul. 

But on the altar to my sacrifice a sound rips through. 

The monster has found me. 

What will he do?

Chapter 1

Sadie

         “No, no, no!” I gasp, the oxygen barely in my lungs to cry out the words.

         Branches whip at my face and tear at my dress as my legs pump beneath me, my feet colliding with the ground hard enough to send reverberations running up my legs. My chest heaves as I greedily suck down air, chancing a quick glance over my shoulder and finding no evidence of anything chasing after me.

         I know well enough that just because I can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there though.

         The sound of my feverish escape echoes through the silent woods, the trees seeming to amplify every footfall, every shallow breath, but I don’t dare stop.

My knees threaten to buckle beneath me as I dart through the trees, shoving through the underbrush in my path, but I push myself to move faster.

         Suddenly, I throw myself to the right, pushing into the hollowed-out center of a massive tiphe tree. Usually, the woods are full of life, full of sound, but tonight this forest feels like a graveyard.

         No sleepy sounds of critters or quiet bird calls sound from between the branches. It’s as if the whole forest knows danger is near, and is hiding from the apex predator roaming between the trees.

If someone had told me a month ago that I would be running for my life instead of sitting in the stuffy classroom of the Bordello, preparing to be sold off to Indor, I would have laughed. I thought he was the biggest threat to my life at the time. But it’s funny how four weeks can change perspective. 

         I try desperately to even out my breathing, staying as silent as I possibly can as I press myself against the inside of the tree, trying to become small and unnoticeable. My heart thunders in my chest like the beat of a wild drum, intent on summoning the monster in these woods.

         The sudden silence feels like as much of a death sentence as the sounds of me crashing through the forest vegetation, the sudden lack of sound deafening even to my human ears. I strain against the silence, listening intently for signs of movement, for any sign that I’ve been tracked this far.

         Seconds feel like hours as I curl tightly in on myself, blind in the swallowing darkness of the tree, the sparse moonlight unable to penetrate the hard bark. From my vantage point, I can only see a sliver of the forest floor and the gnarled trees beyond, a thick mist beginning to gather near their roots, obscuring my vision further.

         A soft, far-away snap sends a chill racing down my spine. A part of me wants to believe that it’s just some harmless anserinae, stretching its wings on the forest floor, but I know better. To survive in these woods a sense of self-preservation is paramount, and no creature who wants to live would dare be caught vulnerable right now.

         Except me.

         My eyes strain against the darkness as I fight to see through the mist, see any sign of the monster following me. Silence falls heavily over the forest again, the snap of that rogue branch echoing in my ears.

         I swear I hear a voice, but it’s too distant for me to tell.

I try to shove down the useless panic welling in my chest, to push aside the paralyzing fear of being hunted, but my body argues with me, my muscles locking together and going rigid as I stare out over that sliver of forest.

My eyes water and my sight blurs, my eyes burning as I stare at the woods beyond. I don’t dare to blink, to tear my eyes away from my window into the woods, for fear of what might be there after my eyes open again. Nothing moves between the trees save for the thickening mist, rolling and crawling across the drying leaves on the forest floor.

I’ve never been under the impression that human beings were any kind of real threat, not here on Protheka amongst the dark elves and orcs and all other manner of horrifying creatures. But right now, tucked inside this tree, counting down the seconds left in my life, I’ve never been more aware of how truly helpless I am.

Another branch snaps, closer this time. I clamp my hands over my mouth, suppressing the scream that’s been bubbling in my throat since the night began. It’s toying with me. It could move soundlessly if it wanted to, go completely undetected in the woods, especially on a night like tonight when the moon is little more than a sliver in the sky.

But it likes when I’m scared. It wants me to know it’s coming for me.

“The forest is not your safe space, little one.”

My heart kicks further up in gear, just like it wanted it to.

Slowly, so slowly, I peel a hand away from my face, feeling around in the base of the tree for anything I could use as a weapon. It’d be stupid to think I could outrun it in any kind of fair race, or even fight it in any meaningful way, but I don’t want to die here. I’ll do what I have to for even one more minute of life.

         A too-big foot appears from the mist, nearly wrenching a scream from my lips. The creature is massive, even bigger than I remember. My hand shakes as it closes around a rock, my fingers clenching tightly around it as I bring it closer to my chest.

         “You cannot hide from me.”

         My breaths come faster, shallower as I lose the fight against my rising panic. The mist thickens, nearly obscuring my vision as the thing lowers its head to the forest floor, the sun-bleached white bone of its skull gleaming in the starlight.

         It huffs as it inhales my scent, massive, membranous wings protruding from its back and casting dim shadows in the mist around it. Even from here, when it’s crouched nearly on all fours, I realize that this thing dwarfs everything, even the largest of orcs. It must be nearly 8 feet tall at its full height, broad, dark shoulders twitching with the promise of violence as it commits my smell to memory.

         “What did I tell you?” It’s not looking at me, and I pray that it’s only hoping to draw out a whimper from me, to alert it to my presence.

         Without warning, its head snaps toward me, dim red light pouring from empty eye sockets as it zeroes in on my hiding spot in the tree, and I lose control of myself. I scream, the sound shattering the stillness of the forest.

         My scream seems to be all the permission the creature needs, and it races for me on all fours, faster than should be possible. A massive hand closes around my ankle, nearly taking up my entire calf as it wrenches me from the hollow of the tree.

         “I’ll forgive your mistake, little one. Just this once.”

         In a panic, I slam the rock against the creature’s skull, scrambling backward as its flesh-bare maw opens, revealing its impossibly sharp teeth and unleashing a roar that makes the forest floor tremble. I’m on my feet in an instant, running as fast as I can, tearing through the woods yet again.

         Cold sweat clings to my brow, my heart beats wildly in my chest, and my mind fixates on only one thing.

         Run. Run. Run.

         “That one,” it snarls. “I’m not sure I can forgive.”

         I hear the heavy thuds of the creature’s footfalls behind me, shaking the earth itself as it gives chase. I try to use my smaller size to my advantage, darting between narrow gaps in the trees and rocketing through thick undergrowth, but I can hear it gaining on me.

         It’s close, too close. I’m going to die.

         A sudden weight wraps itself around me just as I reach the edge of a cliffside, and the creature and I go tumbling over the edge. Rocks and other small debris rain down around us as we tumble down the cliff face, rolling and picking up speed as the ground rockets up to meet us.

That fall alone would have killed me were it not for the massive, muscle-hardened body enclosing mine, gripping me so tightly I can hardly breathe.

         The creature’s body weathers the impact of jagged stone like it’s nothing, the two of us skidding to a stop along a stream. I struggle against it as it lands on top of me, the sheer size of the thing pinning me to the ground, my fists beating uselessly against its chest.

         It growls, its red eyes swallowing up everything in my vision, forcing me to look my own death square in the face. Another scream builds in my throat as a huge, dark hand encircles both of my wrists, shoving them up above my head and pinning them to the ground.

         Sharp river stones bite into the tender flesh of my bare arms, stinging in the cool night air, hot blood beading along the small seams opening in my skin as it holds me still beneath it. Its other hand trails up my waist before clamping down hard on my mouth, silencing my shrieks.

         It lowers its skull to my chest, the cold bone trailing along the bare skin between my breasts, taking deep huffs as if it means to inhale me entirely. Hot exhales of breath tickle in its skull’s wake, caressing my bare skin as it raises its skull again, studying me.

         I expect it to open its jaws, to take my head between its teeth and gnash on it like an overripe fruit, but instead it only stares at me. Its skull cocks to the side, as if curious somehow about the prey it has so easily caught and rendered helpless.

         My stomach tightens, my labored breathing shuddering as fear and anxiety and another feeling I can’t quite place mingles strangely inside me. The creature’s hot breath rolls along the side of my face, and I screw my eyes shut, turning my face away from the inevitable gore that’s waiting for me.

         “Look at me,” the thing snarls, its voice throaty and low. My head snaps back to it, my eyes wide as I begin to tremble beneath the creature. Its voice is so much worse when I can feel it vibrating through me. What is this thing?

         Regardless of the questions swirling through my mind, I do as it says, keeping my eyes open and looking into the glowing red of its empty eye sockets. Perhaps if I find some way to appease this thing, to make it happy, it won’t kill me. I won’t have to die some horrible death alone in the middle of the cooling woods.

         The stream above my head babbles along, water lapping at the ends of my hair and cooling the heat pouring off of my skin from my mad race through the forest. The creature falls silent again, staring down at me, when its jaws slowly begin to open, a long, slick pink tongue rolling from between its teeth.

         Oh gods, I was wrong. I was so wrong. 

There’s no avoiding my fate.

Chapter 2

Sadie

I’ve spent my entire life in the Bordello, training to be the perfect bride for the top bidding dark elf. And oftentimes, I wonder what that future holds for me. Or if there is something else out there waiting for me that I do not yet know is on the horizon. 

So much can change in so little time, and right now, I can feel something brewing…

            Or maybe it’s just my imagination trying to keep me from dying of boredom. The air is warm and stuffy in the classroom at this time of year. Madam Fleur is talking about proper tea etiquette and I’m trying to pay attention but the warmth is lulling me to sleep.

            There are only a few of us in this class. Me, my best friend Anika, Flora, Louisa, Fana, Gigi...and Monica. She gives me a glare right now, which I’m pointedly trying to ignore.

            I know she hates me, but it’s not even my fault. My mind can’t help but drift back to her first week here, the reason for her glare.

            “Hello,” I say, trying to be friendly. “I’m Sadie.”

            “Nice to meet you,” she says stiffly. “I’m Monica.”

            I smile, trying to look reassuring. Monica’s returning one is too tense, making her look a little nervous. I’m so excited at the idea of having another friend. Some of the girls don’t like me and it makes me sad.

            “Where are you from?” I whisper as the madam looks over our essays.

            “Vhoig,” she whispers back. “I was being trained  there but I was sent away because a K’Sheng became obsessed and tried to hurt me.”

            We shut up when Madam Fleur sets our essays down and looks us over, eyebrows raising. I sit up straighter and try to pretend I wasn’t whispering with the new girl.

            “Girls, please partner up for your music lessons today. Each of you will take turns being the player and the page-turner.”

            Monica and I are assigned to work together. We give each other quick smiles and follow the madam to the music room.

            It’s Monica’s turn first. She’s instructed to show her abilities and I’m there to turn the page for her. She plays beautifully and I compliment her profusely.

            “Thank you, Sadie,” she whispers.

            When it’s my turn, I sit down and fluff out my skirts.

            “Start with Waltz of the King,” Madam Fleur instructs me.

            I wait for Monica to turn the pages for me and place my fingers over the keys of the jinrayaha, a sleek instrument that produces the most beautiful melodies. As I’m playing, I glance over to see Louisa and Flora making exaggerated faces behind Madam Fleur’s back, which distracts Monica and makes her giggle. She isn’t paying close attention and when Madam Fleur instructs her to turn the page, she accidentally pushes on the lid of the jinrayaha, which slams onto my hands.

            “Ow!” I yelp, leaping up in shock and clutching my hands to my chest.

            “Girls!” She scolds them. “I find this behavior appalling! You have brought shame to yourselves. Disgraceful!” She screams. “Look what you’ve done!” She points to my hand, which is bruising and has a small cut from the lid slicing my skin. “Twenty lashes each!”

            “Bordello Princess,” Flora hisses at me when Madam Fleur leaves to get her walking stick. “She’s the madam’s pet. That’s why we were punished, Monica, because we injured Her Highness.”

            “But she got injured,” Monica pointed out.

            “Hardly,” Flora turns up her nose. “The stupid little brat was hardly scratched. She thinks she runs the school. The madam is going to beat us now and it’s all her fault!”

            Monica narrows her eyes at me, eyeing me up and down. I think that was the exact minute she decided she hated me.

            “I’m not a princess,” I say, feeling helpless. “It was an accident, I’ll talk to the madam about it...”

            “Don’t bother,” Louisa scoffs. “Everyone knows you’re the Bordello’s Princess.”

            I ball my hands into fists under my desk at the memory. Even Anika thinks that Madam Fleur treats me better than the others, but it’s not true!

            I sigh, tired of being hated for something that I didn’t even do. My shoulders slump and I try to make myself look smaller.

            “Miss Sadie,” Madam Fleur calls. “Please sit up straight. Your posture is all wrong.” I immediately straighten up and dart my eyes around, earning glares from the other girls. I want to shrink into the floor.

            She walks towards me, holding onto the walking stick in her hand. “All of you need to remember your posture lessons,” she says, smacking the stick directly into Louisa’s backside.

            “Posture is one of the most important things you can learn here,” she continues. I flinch, as though I’m the one who’s been struck.

            “A woman who sits attentively looks more interested than one slumped over or lounging lazily,” the madam continues. “If you look interested, the man will be more likely to bring his company to you.”

            Despite the fact that I did nothing wrong, Monica is giving me an even harder glare. She probably thinks that I’m oh-so-favored here, but who wants that? Who would choose, willingly, to be the Bordello’s Princess?

            I’d rather be beaten with the stick.

            This place is a glorified whorehouse. We all get trained to be perfect ladies, high class, high quality companions. But the dark truth is, we’re not here to be real companions. We’re here to be sold out to noble dark elves, to be used and abused until we’re inevitably discarded. It didn’t used to be like this. 

At least not as much.

When I first came here, it was rare for the dark elves to take us on in any permanent sense. The girls would be rented for the night, just as they were at any other whorehouse- no pretense, no silly lessons on etiquette or talents. 

It was never good, of course, but at least it felt more… honest. Now, however, it’s become a trend for the khuzuth to buy themselves human companions, to parade us around like accessories in order to gain favor with the nobles on the continents who have actually chosen to mate with humans.

            How did having humans as little playthings become a fad, anyway? The dark elves have always hated humans and viewed us as lesser beings.

            In any case, as demand for human “companions” began to rise, the school started taking on more and more girls. Our class is small, but there are other classes in the school besides ours.

            Girls come here as soon as they turn twelve, though some start as early as seven, depending on their status in life. We learn everything here about becoming the most proper ladies and the best companions.

            We have singing lessons, art lessons, we learn about poetry and literature, we are taught how to read and write, to dance and play instruments...but at the end of the day the most important lesson we get—which is drilled into our heads over and over—is how to please a man.

            Those lessons are far from my favorite. None of my lessons are all that fun, but the lessons we get on men are the worst. I always leave them feeling nauseous and light-headed. I wish my life was different, but I have no say in the matter. No choice.

            What’s worse is that my time is almost up. Girls are usually selected as companions around the age of eighteen. I’ve already passed that threshold, but I doubt that my extended time here is the result of any real favor or sentimentality, and it’s certainly not because I’m the “Bordello’s Princess”.

            Madam Fleur tells me that it’s because no one has put in a good enough offer. I don’t know if I should believe her, but I’m thankful for the reprieve all the same.

            I’m already twenty, which means that it’s only a matter of time now. The Bordello will choose a dark elf for me—or more likely I’ll go to the highest bidder—who will keep me in a luxurious lifestyle so long as I stay his good little companion.

            We’re all just commodities here. No matter what they tell us about being trained into becoming proper ladies, at the end of the day we’re expensive decorations for the noble dark elf with the funds to purchase us. Of course, we’re only the highest priced goods here. Only the khuzuth are even allowed to look our way.

            Not that it makes one bit of this any better.

            “Stand up, Louisa,” Madam Fleur says sharply. “You need to be taught a lesson. This is the third time today I’ve had to correct your posture. You can’t expect to catch a man’s attention if you insist on slacking!”

            Louisa grits her teeth and shoots me a glare, which also earns me another glare from Monica. She stands and Madam Fleur pushes her, forcing her to drop, hands out in front of her, kneeling on the ground. The crack of her knees hitting the ground makes me wince. It sounds painful.

            “Now, hopefully the lesson will sink into your thick skull this time,” she says, raising Louisa’s skirts over her hips, showing her bare skin, deliberately humiliating her.

            Madam Fleur takes the stick and smacks it against Louisa on the backside again, harder this time. “Ten lashes.”

            My entire body goes hot and prickly with disgust and shame, and I feel numb as I watch Madam Fleur beat her. Louisa’s screams echo through the room, along with the sound of the stick hitting her backside. Her screams get louder with each swat.

            I stay ramrod straight, afraid to incur my own punishment but inside I’m hunched into myself, gritting my teeth and trying to block out the sound of Louisa’s screams.

            This is awful. I hate this.

            I need to speak up. Even if I’m not the Bordello’s Princess, I do have some sway with the madam.

            I won’t be here forever, either. What will happen when I leave these girls? What about my friends? What about Anika? Will Madam Fleur abuse them even more?

            What can I do to stop this? Can I help Louisa, or do I risk getting into trouble myself?

            As I’m wracking my brain, Monica leans over her desk, towards me. “This is all your fault, whore,” she whispers harshly. “You were the one that drew her eye to posture.”

            I’m shaking inside and my nails are digging into my fists. This isn’t right. Why must it be this way?

            I don’t want to leave this place. Even though it’s not the best, staying is better than leaving Anika or any of my other friends alone here.

            And it’s better than leaving to be the little doll of some sick, twisted dark elf. I take a deep breath, making my decision. I’m going to do it. Even if I get beaten myself, I have to stick up for Louisa, for all of us here.

            Madam Fleur is too strict with us, too harsh. We don’t deserve this treatment. We’re supposed to be high quality goods, after all. You can’t break or damage high quality goods without repercussions.

            I open my mouth to speak but a uniformed dark elf barges into the room, interrupting. 

            “Where is Sadie Elsar?” he demands.

My heart stops. What could he want with me?